Advent week 4 and “Born...The One in Question” - By Rev. Troy Benton

Sunday,

Dec. 18, 2016

 

Luke 1:26-38 (CEB)

²⁶When Elizabeth was six months pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee, ²⁷to a virgin who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸When the angel came to her, he said, "Rejoice, favored one! The Lord is with you!" ²⁹She was confused by these words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰The angel said, "Don’t be afraid, Mary. God is honoring you. ³¹Look! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³²He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. ³³He will rule over Jacob’s house forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom." ³⁴Then Mary said to the angel, "How will this happen since I haven’t had sexual relations with a man?" ³⁵The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come over you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the one who is to be born will be holy. He will be called God’s Son. ³⁶Look, even in her old age, your relative Elizabeth has conceived a son. This woman who was labeled ‘unable to conceive’ is now six months pregnant. ³⁷Nothing is impossible for God." ³⁸Then Mary said, "I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said." Then the angel left her.